Another regular season of NBA basketball has come to a close, and it came just in time for Lakers fans everywhere. Its time now to put our attention toward the NBA playoffs, a totally different brand of basketball. There is more pressure and importance with every passing game, road teams feel like they are playing in a totally different country and legends are born over the next few weeks. It is an exciting time in basketball, and here is how the first-round matchups will shake out.
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Milwaukee Bucks
Well, one team had to be the sacrificial lamb for the Miami Heat in their pursuit of a second straight title, and LeBron James and company couldnt have asked for a better matchup than the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. The Heat actually match up well with any team due to their size and athleticism but the Bucks are truly a cinch. given their recent struggles.
The Bucks had a record above .500 in the opening days of March, but have gone 10-16 since Feb. 27 to continue the tradition of a sub-.500 team making the Eastern Conference playoffs. The addition of JJ Redick and the subsequent failure to move either Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings at the trade deadline have had mixed results for the team.
That being said, the Heat should dispatch the Bucks easily. Ellis or Jennings may go off in Games 3 or 4 at home, and overbearing center Larry Sanders may have a big game defensively here or there, but the Heat have been playing a whole new brand of basketball, both offensively and defensively. Their free-flowing offense has led to career shooting years for the Big three of Lebron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, and their insanely aggressive defensive rotations have the all of the league watching. This should be easy for the champs.
Prediction: Miami, 4-0
No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Boston Celtics
Oh, how the tables have turned. Just two years ago, it was the No. 3 Boston Celtics who won the Atlantic division and rights to play the upstart New York Knicks with the newly acquired Carmelo Anthony. But this year, it is just the opposite. Injuries have depleted a very proud Celtics team, while Anthony enjoyed his best season as a pro, taking home the scoring title for the first time in his career.
The Knicks game plan has been obvious from the start of the season: shoot the 3-ball, and shoot it often. They have lived and died by the 3-pointer, and it has shown throughout the year, with some down stretches in the middle of the year. But now the Knicks have found their stroke from beyond the arc, and the ball has been moving more freely, with Anthony putting up big scoring numbers in April. But with more attention to detail in the playoffs from his opponents, will he still be seeing the same numbers as he did before? And, if he doesnt, will the offense adjust?
The Celtics season hit the refresh button when Rajon Rondo went down with an ACL injury, but the Celtics have soldiered on with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and a resurgent Jeff Green.
Their reward is playing the Knicks, which was actually a best-case scenario for the team. For a Knicks franchise that hasnt won a playoff series since Patrick Ewings last season with the team in 1999-2000, a small inkling of doubt is all the Celtics need to gain a mental edge. Will the Celtics beat the Knicks? Probably not, but do the Knicks, or anyone, want to play the Celtics in the playoffs? Definitely not.
If the Celtics can steal a game in New York, they have a great chance to pull the upset because it is hard to imagine them losing at home, especially with the emotion that will fill the Garden in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon tragedy.
Prediction: New York, 4-3
No. 3 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks
Here we have a mostly boring first-round matchup, only because of the style of play of the Pacers and the mediocrity of the Hawks franchise in general. This pairing, however, does give us a pretty good matchup at the center position: the Pacers Roy Hibbert against the Hawks Al Horford.
Regardless of the series outcome for Atlanta, expect big changes to come for the Hawks in the offseason. The team and the franchise have peaked with Josh Smith as its focus, and its fan base has grown weary of middling play.
The Pacers, on the other hand, are a franchise that has been steadily on the rise for the last three years, and it all starts with their coach Frank Vogel. What he has done to create the toughest, grittiest, defensive-minded team in the NBA cannot be overstated. And outside of offseason acquisitions such as George Hill and David West, Vogel has mainly been able to mold his team around players that have been drafted by the Pacers.
Though Danny Granger has been out virtually all season, Paul George has broken out in a big way with his newly found height. He has asserted himself on the offensive end, especially from beyond the arc, while still maintaining his consistent defensive play. After taking the Heat to six games in last years playoffs, expect more high-level play from the Pacers this postseason.
Prediction: Indiana, 4-1
No. 4 Brooklyn Nets vs. No. 5 Chicago Bulls
Playoff basketball has officially arrived in Brooklyn, but it doesnt seem like the Nets have broken out like they planned before the start of the season. However, they head into their first playoff matchup in Brooklyn facing a Bulls team that continues to play the waiting game on Derrick Roses recovery from a torn ACL after last seasons playoffs.
But the Bulls look primed for an upset in a matchup of two completely different franchises.
Deron Williams hasnt really played up to his expectations this year, especially given the talent that has been put around him, and despite some game winning shots, Joe Johnson couldnt even prove that he was worthy of being second-best on the Nets. That honor goes to Brook Lopez, who could actually be the most important player on the team despite grabbing less than seven rebounds per game. If Lopez can dominate on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, the Nets have a good shot of moving on to the next round.
But that will be a tall task against the extremely defensively disciplined Bulls. They have had to lean on role players all season, and they have come through time and time again with huge wins stemming from consistent basketball.
Joakim Noah is a serious Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player candidate, Luol Deng put in another All-Star year, Carlos Boozer looks as fresh as he did in his Utah days, and Jimmy Butler has become a 67 revelation for the team due to his versatility. The Bulls may not play pretty, but they know how to play to win, and they are the team most likely to pull a first round upset this postseason.
Prediction: Chicago 4-2
Western Conference
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 Houston Rockets
The West is filled with enticing matchups, perhaps none more so than the No.1-vs.- No.8 seed matchup between the Thunder and Rockets. Fresh off their first NBA Finals appearance, the young Thunder will begin their run to the end once again without one of their key pieces from a year ago. Where did that player go? To the upstart Houston Rockets, who made big moves this offseason to be in the position that they are in right now.
A former sixth man for the Thunder, James Harden now finds himself in the starring role of an incredibly fast-paced, young and exciting Rockets team. Their pace-and-space system has taken the league by storm, and despite a strong defense, the offense has carried them to the No. 8 seed. This team loves shooting 3-pointers off the fast break and running endless pick-and-rolls to free Harden or Jeremy Lin in the lane. If that option is locked down, they rely on Omer Asik rolling to the hoop or a number of 3-point shooters waiting beyond the arc. The offense has been second in the league in points per game this year, but will it continue into the postseason?
Even though the Thunder earned home-court advantage out West, they just havent quite stamped their authority on the conference in the way that was expected after their trip to the Finals. Russell Westbrook continues to dazzle with his fiery play and pure athleticism, but he still makes boneheaded mistakes like taking half-court shots two seconds into the shot clock. They still have plenty of talent to carry them out of the first round, but it will be difficult, and their road to the playoffs will get much tougher with each passing round. Can they put it all together a second time through?
Prediction: Oklahoma City, 4-2
No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
Its incredibly weird to be seeing these two Western Conference rivals match up so early in the postseason on such polar opposites of the playoff bracket, but with the Lakers win over the Rockets on Wednesday, coach Mike DAntonis squad managed to sneak into the No. 7 spot and set up a series with potentially the weakest higher-ranked seed in the Spurs.
That isnt to say that the Spurs do not deserve their high seed, but recent history has shown that under Gregg Popovich the Spurs can put together stellar regular seasons but fizzle out in the playoffs. Their elegant system of cutters on the wing, strong inside play and pass-first mentality makes the Spurs an extremely tough matchup in the regular season because teams dont have enough time to prepare.
But in the playoffs, defenses lock down, especially as the series progress, and the Spurs offense could very likely be cracked. It also doesnt help that Tony Parkers first game back from injury against the Lakers was a massive dud, and that Manu Ginobili and others have been hampered by injuries all season.
The X-factor for the Spurs could actually be newly signed Tracy McGrady, who has a shot at advancing past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in his career. Can he pick up the Spurs system in time?
The Lakers season has been a long and disappointing one, but they have earned the right to play the Spurs in the playoffs with their late-season surge. Even with Kobe Bryant going down and Steve Nash uncertain in the playoffs, the Lakers are looking at the postseason as a fresh start with Dwight Howard and a resurgent Pau Gasol leading the way.
Even with two future Hall of Famers out, the Lakers still have enough star power to make some serious noise. If Metta World Peace can continue to play effectively with a recently reconstructed knee, if Gasol can facilitate the offense in the absence of Kobe and if Howard can be the defensive monster the Lakers expect him to be, theres a chance this series can be taken by the Lakers. Expect a battle.
Prediction: San Antonio, 4-3
No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors
This could have been the most exciting first-round matchup, but due to some key injuries for the Nuggets, the matchup has lost some of its intrigue. Make no mistake: There is going to be a lot of scoring in this series, and it will be amazing to watch.
Kudos is due to second-year coach Mark Jackson for quietly leading the Dubs to the No. 6 seed in the West, but one worries that this young team might not be ready for their first playoff appearance in years.
Theyll rely heavily on Steph Curry, who now holds the single-season record for 3-pointers made. Klay Thompson, who continues to improve his silky smooth jumper, and Jarrett Jack, who has quietly provided a steady veteran presence off the bench, will also prove important. But the most important unit will be the Warriors front line. David Lee and Andrew Bogut, not to mention Carl Landry off the bench, will need to dominate down low in order for this team to have a chance at an upset.
The Warriors may actually have the advantage in the paint heading into their matchup with the Nuggets, who have recently been hit with very untimely injuries like an ACL tear ended Danilo Gallinaris season. On top of that, Kenneth the Manimal Farieds availability is in question after a sprained ankle suffered with just a few games left to play, and Ty Lawson is still recovering from a sprained ankle he suffered in March. The Nuggets have capable players to fill the voids Wilson Chandler and Corey Brewer stepping up, but coach George Karl now faces his worst nightmare in giving Anthony Randolph and Javale McGee extended minutes. They are exciting players that fit the Denver mold, but they are over-aggressive and extremely undisciplined. Can the Warriors big men take advantage? Or will the Denver altitude burn them out?
Prediction: Denver 4-2
No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Memphis Grizzlies
The final first-round matchup will be filled with strong play, with both the Clippers and the Grizzlies finishing off in a strong stretch of play. This matchup is a lot of fun because the teams play completely different brands of basketball, but it all starts with the big guys down low.
The Grizzlies are led by Zach Randolph, who deservedly received an All-Star nod this year, and Marc Gasol, the leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Over the past two seasons, the two big men have become the most skilled frontcourt tandem in the NBA on both ends of the floor. Gasol is an excellent facilitator at the elbow with sneaky shooting range, and Randolph has the fancy footwork in the low post to school defenders and the body to box them out.
Many questioned the trade of Rudy Gay, their only legitimate offensive threat on the wings, but the Grizz picked up frontcourt depth and an enhancer to their defensive mentality by bringing in Tayshaun Prince. With Randolph, Gasol, Prince, Mike Conley Jr. and Tony Allen, the Grizzlies have a tough, defensive starting five and have ground their way to the best defense in the league.
When you talk about the Clippers, it has to start with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.
But with all the showtime dunks the two toss around the Staples Center, its easy to forget that the Clips have forged a top-10 defensive unit with their aggressive rotations. Sometimes that leaves them vulnerable to the three-point shot, which teams have exploited numerous times against them, but that shouldnt be a worry against the Grizzlies.
The Clippers trump card, however, is that they can play 10 men with confidence, as Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes and Ryan Hollins have led the most productive bench unit in the league. But in the playoffs, when the stakes are higher and the attention to detail much more important, will coach Vinny Del Negro be able to keep his rotation? Or will the Grizzlies grit-and-grind style wear down the Clippers?
Prediction: LA Clippers, 4-3
